There were about 5,500 young people (aged 10 and older) under youth justice supervision in Australia on an average day in 2015–16, due to their involvement, or alleged involvement, in crime. This number has decreased by 21% over the 5 years to 2015–16. Around 4 in 5 (82%) young people under supervision on an average day were male. Most (84%) young people were supervised in the community and the remainder were in detention. Indigenous young people continued to be over-represented in the youth justice system: young Indigenous people were 17 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision on an average day.

ISSN: 2205-5010 (PDF) 1446-9820 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-76054-110-1

Cat. no: AUS 211

Pages: 25

Findings from this report:

4 in 5 (82%) young people under supervision on an average day were male

About 5,500 young people were under youth justice supervision on an average day in 2015–16

Over the 5-year period to 2015–16, the level of Indigenous over-representation in youth justice supervision increased

Almost half (48%) of young people aged 10–17 under supervision on an average day were Indigenous